Outdoor sink ideas

Katherine KallyUpdated February 21, 2017

An outdoor sink can be both decorative and useful. You can recycle old cast iron sinks into accent planters for your garden, or install a shiny new sink in your outdoor kitchen for convenience. Look for old sinks at architectural salvage yards or antique malls

Built-in Planter Table

An outdoor sink built into a planter table is a convenience for avid gardeners. Running water in close proximity to a planting station allows for easy clean-up and can make spot watering your outdoor plants easier. You can add a sink to an existing planter table by attaching a frame made from wood, copper or PVC pipe. Cover the frame with cedar or redwood panels, or leave the frame open to complement a rustic or cottage-style landscape.

Fountain

An outdoor sink can be a reservoir for a garden, patio or deck fountain. Seal the sink to make it water tight and stand an old pump head next to it as the spout for the garden fountain. If the sink is not already enclosed, partially bury it and surround it with plants or stacked slate to camouflage the exterior. Enclose your deck or patio sink fountain with panels made from wood rated for outdoor use. A tilted pitcher water spout or stacked planters arranged in tiers inside the sink are simple ideas for attractive water features.

Planter

An outdoor sink that is not hooked up to a water source could become a planting basin for herbs, vegetables and flowers. Stand potted plants inside the sink, or fill the sink with potting soil to make it the planter. Lining the base of the sink with stones or gravel before you add the potting soil will help with drainage. Casually place an old cast iron sink in your flower bed or along a wooded garden path and fill it with blooming flowers for a vintage-style planter.

Outdoor Kitchen

An outdoor sink is a helpful addition to an outdoor kitchen or bar area. Food prep and clean up is much more convenient with a functioning sink built into the bar or kitchen countertop. Include a double sink, farmhouse sink or small bar sink to your outdoor kitchen layout, depending on your available space and personal requirements.

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About the Author

Katherine Kally is a freelance writer specializing in eco-friendly home-improvement projects, practical craft ideas and cost-effective decorating solutions. Kally's work has been featured on sites across the Web. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of South Carolina and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.